Living the Grace Life

Ep. 09 Seen, Known, and Loved: Overcoming Your Inner Bully | Carol Feil

Do you have an inner bully? Are you the hardest on yourself, rehearsing all the ways you've messed up and fall short?
In this episode of 'Living the Grace Life,' host Jennifer Sakata welcomes Carol Feil, a seasoned writer, speaker, and self-described cheerleader of women. Make the journey from condemnation to compassion and from a transactional culture to the grace of the Father. Carol discusses the impact of uninvited negative thoughts and the need to replace lies with the truth of being seen, known, and loved by God.
Referencing her iconic yellow boots, Carol illustrates how grace can be integrated into daily life.
In our conversation, you'll hear how to:
reframe lies that have played on repeat 
combat the inner bully with scripture
journey from living in a soundbite culture to depth with Jesus
replace life's overwhelming expectations with realistic ones
stack habits
nurture the Truth of how God sees you
welcome a community of supporters as a place to absorb what's true
 
Grab your yellow boots and tune in for an inspiring conversation filled with wisdom and practical advice for living a grace-filled life.
Quotes from Carol Feil:
Because I haven't asked the [lies] to play, I can choose whether they stay or get replaced with the Truth.
There has to be so much truth coming in that the lies stand out.
We have the opportunity to consciously and carefully pay attention to what we clothe ourselves in.
Key Scriptures mentioned:
I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:7
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
 
Resources Mentioned:
Carol Feil's Scripture and Prayer FREEBIE
Carol on Instagram and Facebook
Complete show notes here
Related Episodes:
Ep. 04 Grace Prayer | Your Real Self Through God's Eyes
Connect with Jennifer:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 08 Live Slowly: A Gentle Invitation to Exhale | Jodi H. Grubbs

Are you overwhelmed by "running the roads," rushing from one event to another and feeling increasingly depleted no matter how hard you try to slow it down? The crush of hustle culture costs more than we think and doesn't disappear just because we want it to.
But there is hope. 
In today's episode, Jodi H. Grubbs describes the life-altering impact the pace of her life was having on her body and the wake-up call she received from her doctor. With insight and wisdom, Jodi leads us from running the roads of hustle culture to sustainable soul-care rhythms that slow our pace and make space for God, one another, and even for ourselves.
From Jodi's book, Live Slowly: A Gentle Invitation to Exhale, "Just like the transformation of a piece of sea glass, slower living is this invitation to reframe our heartache as we take our tossed-about lives and recalibrate our pace into a more manageable and delightful one." 
In our conversation, you will hear:
the right you have to a slower pace
the impact of a forced slowdown as Jodi grieved her first husband's death
18 Slow Living Shifts that lead to transformation with a more present posture
the distinction between self-care and soul-care
sustainable soul care rhythms including spiritual direction, breath prayers, and spiritual friendships 
God's grace for the "other" who deeply wounded us
Jodi speaks from a deep well of life with God and helps us tuck into those places where God wants to meet us.
Listen in as we slow the pace and welcome the transformation of grace.
Grace Quotes from Jodi H. Grubbs
"But then, to my utter surprise, I watched as Jesus turned to face and embrace this person who had hurt me. And he acknowledged and healed their pain as well."
"Soul care is a quieting of our souls and asking God: what are you showing me right now?" 
"Slow down and your passions that have been tucked in for too long will start to emerge."
 
Resources mentioned:
Jodi's Reflection Guide
Jodi H. Grubbs, Our Island in the City Podcast
Connect with Jodi on her Website, Instagram, Facebook
See full show notes here for Jodi's Book Benediction and Prayer
Connect with Jennifer:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 07 Grace Prayer | First Pray

What is your typical first response when things get hard or you disagree with those in authority over you?
There's no shame in reaching out to a friend, working things through in a coffee shop, or downloading to anyone who will listen.
But when we begin the conversation with God first, our middle and finish turn out very differently than when we push through on our own.
In this episode of Living the Grace Life, join host Jennifer Sakata as she discusses the importance of prayer first while partnering with the National See You at the Pole Movement. On the fourth Wednesday in September, students gather to pray for their peers, teachers, and nation. Using 1 Timothy 2:1 as a guiding scripture, Jennifer underscores the significance of prioritizing prayer.
She shares personal insights and observations on the urgency and power of praying first and provides a guided prayer session to foster a deeper, grace-filled connection with God. Listeners are encouraged to integrate this practice into their lives, trusting in God's authority and wisdom.
Grace for you. Grace for them.
 
Read 1 Timothy 2 here.
Connect with Jennifer Sakata:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 06 Happies, Crappies, and Thankfuls for Grace Enough | Amber Cullum

Have you ever felt like grace isn't enough? Like you've messed up too much to begin again? Or that you're burning it at both ends and can't seem to push pause before everything falls to pieces?
 
We've all felt the regret of poor choices. We are wounded and wounding people as we repeat cycles we don't recognize we're in. But there's hope. Colossians 3 reminds us that grace becomes enough as we learn to take off empty practices and put on Christ-centered ones.
 
Amber Cullum, my guest today, grew up in a culturally Christian home and community where Jesus had little to do with everyday life. All that changed during her college years as she learned to filter her choices through her relationship with Jesus.
 
Host of Grace Enough podcast, Amber is wife and mom of three who talks the Bible and theology just as easily as she talks "poop rickets" and other kid shenanigans that make us all laugh. She is also a speaker who has nurtured the art of connecting with people through their hardships, passions, and faith in Jesus.
 
In our conversation, Amber shares stories about:
growing up in a Christian culture without Jesus
navigating Senior Year with an absent mother and a strained relationship
discovering the connection between communication and grace
developing rhythms of grace which include celebrating the Shabbat Meal, reading scripture, gratitude, and breath prayers
connecting practices to the person of Jesus
And not to be missed: Amber's expose on current teen slang.
Quotes from Amber Cullum:
When I think about grace being hard to come by, it's really been a lot in forgiving myself for the ways my critical spirit has hurt others. That is the opposite of grace. Once you know you are forgiven and experience that grace, you have to let go of things and move into freedom.
Discipline and habits are really hard to form. But lack of discipline and habits cause greater damage in the long run.
Our brain's default is to protect us. We defend ourselves against things that are happening to us and that lends itself to complaining. That's why gratitude has become a lifeline for me.
Key Scripture from our conversation:
Colossians 3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
Resources Mentioned:
Amber Cullum's website, including her FREE GRATITUDE PRACTICE
Family Teams with Jeremy Pryor's Book, Family Revision
Amber on Instagram and Facebook
Show Notes: here
Related Episodes:
Guest Episode with 21 Days of Gratitude, Day 14: ThanksLiving, God is Not Stingy
Connect with Jennifer:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 05 From Trash Cans to Beach Walks: Grace

Have you ever been caught in a lie? Or promised to do something you didn't? 
Regret has a way of shaming us, leading us to think we've messed up too much. 
Grace is for those moments you were certain you'd have the courage to speak up, but didn't. Grace paves a different path for times you walked away in silence, knowing you should have stayed to work it through. Grace is for those flashbacks of saying out loud or tweeting what you wished you hadn't. Grace navigates forgiveness to new purpose.
Today's episode takes us from the trash can in a boy's room to the beach remembering a friend's broken promises. In both, Jesus offered a restored connection and a new purpose rooted in His ability over their own.
Listen in to a boy's confession. Take the walk of pardon with Jesus and Peter in John 21. Welcome the transformative power of grace, not only to forgive but also to lead you to a renewed purpose in life.
Ready to grace this life? Listen in.
 
Grace Quotes from Jennifer Sakata:
Grace doesn't leave us where it found us.  Grace propels us forward, empowering us to make different choices and build stronger character for God's glory and for our good.  
Grace offers us what Jesus offered Peter, a divine do-over that's rooted not in our resolve or our ability, but in His.  
Instead of pretending we're better than we are or shaming us for worse than we are, Jesus shares the work he came to do with humans like us who don't earn the right.
 
Key Scripture:
If anyone is in Christ. The new creation has come. The old has gone. The new is here. 2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT
 
Show Notes: jennifersakata.com/living-the-grace-life/
Connect with Jennifer:
Website | Instagram | Facebook
 

Ep. 04 Grace Prayer | Your Real Self through God's Eyes

Have you ever considered what God thinks about you? Many of us shrink back with a well-documented ledger of outbursts over chores left undone, the hustle while struggling to slow down, or comparisons that leave us paralyzed.
We project onto God a summary of our daily wins and losses. There's pain in how we think God sees us, especially when we're in the thick of it.  
This week's Grace Prayer episode unearths Psalm 139, highlighting God's intimate knowledge and unconditional love for us. God's perception of us is not based on our behavior or performance but on His unwavering presence and favored thoughts about us.
This is grace. Grace for you. Grace for them.
Read Psalm 139 here.
Connect with Jennifer Sakata:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 03 Real Conversations about Anxiety and Grace | with Caris Snider

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by the pressures in your life, you thought you were having a heart attack? As if elephants were sitting on your chest? That's the way my guest today describes the weight of anxiety in our daily lives.
In this Living the Grace Life episode, I welcome guest Caris Snider, a speaker, author, and certified life coach whose honesty and vulnerability help us share our own. Caris is as real as they get. But it wasn't always that way for her. She struggled for a long time to take off the facade and allow God's grace to work in her real life.
 
From Caris:
"About 13 years ago, anxiety and depression almost took my life. I was wearing this weight on the inside, but on the outside, no one knew it. No one knew I was struggling. No one knew I didn't 'have it all together' because it appeared as though I did.
My husband and I were leading worship at a church. I was working out of my home, a successful business. And my daughter, two at the time, was living her best toddler life. 
It all appeared great, but all of a sudden, out of nowhere, my heart would just be beating out of my chest where it felt like this herd of elephants was stomping up and down."
Caris shares her story of anxiety, depression, miscarriage, and finding hope through God's grace.
In our conversation, you'll receive practical tips on how to:
Untangle lies nurtured by anxiety
Make the journey from 'What If?' to 'What Is!' 
Find 'your people' and build community that helps you walk through anxiety and into grace 
Practice anxiety blockers such as gratitude, grounding, body movement, getting enough water and sleep, and getting outside as ways to welcome grace and offer it, to yourself and to others
So much more...including an introduction to Cooper Hashbrown!
Listeners will find an abundance of forgiveness and hope in Caris's honest and vulnerable storytelling, as well as actionable steps on embracing God's grace in everyday life.
Quotes from Caris Snider:
God wants to comfort us, but He can't comfort us if we're pulling away.
We need to be intentional with what thoughts come in. They don't all have to stay. You get to be the boss of your brain.
We want to move out of what if and move into what is. Be where your feet are.
 
Key Scriptures from our conversation:
Psalm 34:4 I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
Philippians 4:8 And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you have learned and received from me–everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the Godof peace will be with you.
Galatians 6:2 Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
 
Resources Mentioned:
Caris' Website including all her FREEBIES
Caris Snider's books
Caris on Instagram and Facebook
Show Notes: here
Connect with Jennifer:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 02 Real Grace for Your Real Life, From Sunday to Everyday

Have you ever wished you could take your words back but know you can't? Like toothpaste out of the tube, words can't be put back in. Regret creeps in while grace waits for an invitation. 
We've heard about grace and we know we need it, but what is grace, really? What does it sound like in the overwhelm of a busy and doing more life? What does grace look like when you're in the middle of a hard conversation or some impossible situation? Maybe your baby won't go back to sleep and you're exhausted. Or perhaps you're the mom in Target and your toddler is having a tantrum because they have more energy than you do. Did your friend just really say that out loud? Do you ignore it, pretending it didn't just wallop you?
What is grace then? We know grace is the better way. But let's be honest. Sometimes, grace is hard to come by.
Too often, grace is more like a side dish we hear about on Sundays, but not the nourishment that restores connection and rebuilds relationships on Mondays. Grace is like that muffled Charlie Brown Narrator that has something important to speak about who we're becoming, but it gets drowned out in the movements of ordinary everyday life.
If this resonates with you, you're not alone.
Here at Living the Grace Life, we invite God to help us replace the overwhelm of doing more and living less with a slower pace that nurtures God's grace in our ordinary, everyday lives.
God's grace for you.God's grace for them.
 
Quotes from the episode:
Like toothpaste out of the tube, right? Words can't be put back in. The damage was done.
I knew I should have been more gracious. I knew it. You know it. We all know it. Grace is the better way. But sometimes, grace is hard to come by.
Grace is that muffled voice that has something important to say about who we're becoming, but it gets drowned out in the movements of everyday life.
Receive your place as a beloved daughter or son, slowed and softened, nurtured by God's real grace into your ordinary, everyday, real life.
 
Show Notes: jennifersakata.com/living-the-grace-life/
Connect with Jennifer:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Ep. 01 Sneak Peek

Welcome to the corner of real grace for your real life. Join Jennifer Sakata and special guests to navigate forgiveness, belonging, and empowerment as faithful expressions of God’s generous grace. 
But what is God’s grace? What is it not? What does grace look and sound like amid a busy and full-plated life?
Through stories, authentic conversations, and biblical teaching, Jennifer helps bridge the gap between what we think about grace and how we live with it. Each episode helps shift our understanding of grace from a Sunday morning concept to an everyday lived experience. God’s grace is that forward movement that restores connection and rebuilds relationships.
Living the Grace Life is a solo and interview podcast committed to transformation, helping you replace the overwhelm of doing more and living less with a slower pace that nurtures God’s real grace in your real life. 
Grace for you. Grace for them.
Listen in now and let’s grace this life!
Connect with Jennifer Sakata at www.jennifersakata.com